thunderbolt
by MaidenStar
Summary: She only ever started taking yoga to help her relax, but when the attractive, mysterious woman in the glasses gatecrashes the party, Piper starts to find the classes a little more distress than de-stress. [Or, the one where there's a squeeze on space at the community centre, and the yoga class suddenly has to share a hall with the local branch of the AA with...interesting results.]
1. Chapter 1

**Note: firstly I wanted to take a quick opportunity to thank everyone for the (unexpected) positive reaction to _Slow Hand_ my first oitnb fic, I really wasn't expecting it at all! this'll be my first multi-chapter oitnb fic, and I just wanted to clarify that it's an AU set completely outside of Litchfield, but based (very) loosely on the scene from 1x05. I also just wanted to highlight that this chapter is a bit shorter than I'm aiming for the rest to be, as it simply acts as a prologue of sorts, setting the story up. **

**Anyway, without further ado I'll end this here, thanks in advance for reading and any comments and suggestions you have are always greatly received!**

* * *

"_...And lean forward again, _slowly. _Go into a forward fold, with a hand on either shin. Bring your tailbone upwards,_ _and gently_ slide _your hands down towards your feet_. _Only go as far as is comfortable, bringing your hands to the mat if you can_...Aaand_...exhale._"

Yoga Jones's voice has a strange, almost shaky timbre to it, but it is somehow always soft enough to be relaxing as she guides them gently through her classes. She always adds in just the right amount of extra intonation too, as instructors often seem to do.

It's strange to Piper that having your head tucked against your knees whilst you're standing - something which should really be an anatomical catastrophe - could be calming, and yet, somehow, it is. Generally, Yoga Jones's classes are always relaxing, which is essentially what keeps Piper attending them.

She'd never had any special interest in the activity and hadn't actually expected it to bring any benefit when she first started going, but there had only been so many times she could listen to Polly dropping hints about the merits of her weekly yoga class. Apparently Polly thought that Piper needed to de-stress, because her mind was on the business too much, because she was a _'born worrier_', because she needed to _'switch off, occasionally_'.

Piper privately thought she was less of a _born worrier_, and more of a _worrier by exposure_ after a childhood surrounded by her family's 'keeping up with the Joneses' anxiety. But rather than argue the point, Piper had instead gone along to the damn class with Polly, who then predictably stopped going about three weeks in, when Wednesdays suddenly somehow became the only feasible weeknight she and Pete (the new boyfriend) could have date night. Polly said it was something about their schedules only aligning on Wednesdays. Piper said it was something about Polly talking bullshit. The investigation was still pending on that one.

By now, at least, Piper had gotten to know just enough of the class regulars that turning up alone every week isn't an entirely lonely affair.

At the front of the room, Jones moves on to talking them through the next step of their opening Sun Salutation (_'now, lunge back with the right foot, make sure to bend that left knee,_lengthen _the spine...aaand_inhale') and Piper thinks that the instructor would probably be far from impressed if she caught one of her members letting their minds wander too far from the class. Jones was always extolling the virtues of everyone clearing their minds completely, called it an integral part of her classes.

So, breathing in deeply, Piper lets herself fall happily into the whole thing. There's no room for her mother's seemingly unshakeable commitment to 'finding Piper a man' in amongst the spongy softness of the yoga mat beneath her toes. There is no place for her father's endless questions about business trajectories and profit margins beneath the soothing, atmospheric music Jones always plays from a dusty, ancient-looking CD player plugged in across the room.

Indeed, by the time they follow through on Jones's instruction to '_lengthen the spine, reach out again behind you, pressing the pelvis forward and opening the chest'_, Piper is just beginning to forget about all the pent-up stress from having to constantly set up meetings with department stores, when the doors to the hall clang open loudly and unexpectedly.

A few spaces down from her, an already shaky Lorna Morello – a small, sweet girl who Jones always needs to personally remind to breathe – jumps in surprise at the noise and loses her balance, breaking pose in order to stay on her feet.

Though Jones tries to encourage the class to ignore the disturbance and shift into Mountain pose for a moment or two, people begin to turn at the sound of footsteps echoing through the sports hall, and, in spite of herself, Piper also cranes round to look.

Across the room, a strange assortment of people are filing in, following a short, squat woman who is carrying a sign under her arm. With a considerable struggle, two other women drag what appears to be a makeshift lectern of sorts into the room between them.

"Excuse me, what's happening?!" All of the newcomers pause and glance up at Jones's disgruntled shout, a few of them looking surprised and put out, as though the members of the yoga class are the ones who are gate-crashing.

"We got AA," the squat woman tells them impatiently, as though that clears everything up.

"No, not right now you don't. We're doing yoga, this is our time."

"Well they sent us here because our room is _wrecked_," a woman with restless eyes and what seems to be a semi-permanent expression of alarm supplies by way of explanation. "The ones in there before us, some Bible study group or something, well they tried to hang a big-ass cross from the roof. Brought the whole _ceiling _down. Reckon it's gonna take forever to fix it."

Suddenly, Piper's neighbour, Sophia, sighs to herself. Piper turns at the unexpected sound, flashing an enquiring expression at the woman beside her. Sophia inclines her head and murmurs, "I _told_ her that shit wasn't a load-bearing pipe."

Jones makes a frustrated noise behind them and the startled-looking AA woman's eyes go impossibly wider as she glances round the room.

"Oh, don't worry, you just keep on doin' what you doin'."

No one else from the yoga class speaks, but most people have turned back to face Jones, looking to her for instruction. Piper, Lorna and a few others, however, continue to survey the interlopers.

There are a few clusters of cheap plastic chairs stacked in one of the corners of the hall, and the women of the AA group all start arranging them in a semi-circle, the beaten-up lectern their focal point. Jones makes one valiant attempt to resume her class, but the other group continues chattering loudly amongst themselves as they set up. A wild-haired woman sits down backwards on her red chair, the headrest against her chest, so she can observe the yoga class.

"Let's see one of these downward-facing doggy styles."

This outburst elicits an unexpected reaction from Lorna, who lets out a gasp that's equal parts surprised and angry, before very deliberately turning her back on the woman who had just spoken.

Sophia raises her eyebrows in a questioning manner at Piper, who shrugs in return.

A lot of other people seem interested in the exchange too, but as Piper is about to flash Lorna a questioning look (intending to try and ask _are you alright?_ as much as _what the hell?!_), she instead finds herself distracted when someone goes to sit down next to the woman who had addressed Morello.

This new woman doesn't quite leer like her two peers had done, but she doesn't bother to hide her obvious interest in watching the women of the yoga class either. In fact, she hooks an elbow over the back of her chair so that she can comfortably crane around and look behind her.

And it doesn't exactly escape Piper's notice that she's hot. Unfairly so. And in a way that simply goes beyond bodily appearance.

There was no denying that everything about the woman's appearance – from the bold streaks of blue in her black hair, to her dark, thick-rimmed glasses – is attractive, but there's something more to her, something in the way she seems to carry herself. There's an easy-going, effortless confidence in her gaze, in the way she slouches comfortably in her chair, even in the way she wears her simple black jumper and her distressed jeans like they're hallmarks of her own laid-back brand of cool.

Because, trite as it seems for two adult women, Piper can't help but think that that is what this woman is – easily, effortlessly _cool_. She has the sleeves of her sweater rolled up carelessly to the elbow, a dark, tribal-looking design visible on her forearm. It makes Piper wonder – suddenly and incredibly inappropriately – where else she might be hiding other tattoos.

Unsurprisingly, given that she's hardly being subtle, the woman catches Piper looking, and, embarrassed, Piper quickly tries to draw her gaze to literally anything or anyone else. Before she can bring herself to look away, however, Piper catches the woman with the tattoo quickly flick her eyes down Piper's body and then back up again almost appraisingly, before slowly unfurling a maddeningly brazen smirk.

Oh. God.

"This is unacceptable. I'm getting Caputo," Jones grumbles as she storms across the hall, reminding Piper why she's even in a position to be flustered by this woman in the first place. "Norma, take over for me," Jones calls back over her shoulder as she goes, a decision which raises an eyebrow or two. Even Norma herself seems surprised by this instruction, given that no one in the group has ever heard her speak.

Piper feels herself blushing (_actually blushing_, like a goddamned idiot kid) under the AA woman's gaze, so she quickly turns and watches for Norma's directions as she silently leads them into Downward-Facing Dog pose.

Piper can't help but think that it's possibly the most unfortunate pose anyone could have chosen at that particular time.

As she takes a deep breath in, Piper gets the feeling that the AA woman with the tattoo is still looking at her, and she feels strangely exposed as she brings her hands to the mat, body now a V shape, her tailbone (and more importantly to her in that moment, her ass) in the air.

Breathing out, Piper chances a glance between her legs and, sure enough, the woman with the glasses is looking right at her, smirk still very firmly in place.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much to everyone who left a comment/favourite or followed the story so far! I hope the update adds a little more substance after setting the scene with the first chapter. There'll be a lot more interaction between the main characters now that I've managed to advance the plot a little.**

**As ever, any and all constructive criticism is most gratefully received. Thank you in advance for reading!**

* * *

She turns up at Polly's apartment the next day slightly before they need to start work, as per their Thursday tradition.

"Sure, come on in." Polly's mild greeting is the same every morning. It's her attempt at a sarcastic response to Piper's habit of walking straight in without knocking, but the whole thing is something of a routine now, warm and completely in jest.

"I come bearing gifts." Piper holds out a paper cup, fresh from her _Starbucks_ trip, and Polly accepts it without further complaint.

Over the course of the last year, Polly's apartment had gradually been turned into their base of operations. It wasn't ideal, but until they really got the business going, it was the best they had. Polly's kitchen had become something of a research lab as they tried out different product ideas (though Piper's role in this tended to be more of an auxiliary one), and the spare room had gradually been transformed into an office. They'd managed to cram two desks into the room; although it was mainly Piper's job to manage the administrative side of things, it was too much to do alone and there were days when neither woman left the 'office'. They would forgo making soap testers and samples, and work on setting up meetings and securing a business loan instead.

The work is demanding, and almost endless, and often it feels like their only time out consists of their respective Wednesday evening activities and the time they spend the next morning discussing them. Polly tells Piper about the events of her date night with Pete, and Piper fills Polly in on any gossip about the members of the yoga group.

This particular Thursday morning is no different; Piper listens patiently to Polly's run-down of her date, blowing on her coffee as Polly offloads her worries about the progression of her relationship.

"…And it's just hard because it's been quite a while now but, because we only see each other a couple times a week, I don't really know what stage we're at, you know?"

"Well, have you slept with him yet?"

Polly stiffens slightly, frowning. "_Piper._"

"So. That's a 'no' then." Piper works hard to suppress a smile at her friend's expression, waiting for her to cave.

Sure enough, Polly eventually gives in. "Yes. It is a no. Maybe he's just really not that into me. God. I don't know. I don't want to talk about this anymore, let's change the subject. Did I miss anything at yoga?"

"You say that like you still go occasionally."

"Shut up. Who knows, maybe I'll start again, it might help me deal with my relationship stress."

Piper raises her eyebrows slightly at this, her expression knowing and slightly smug. It's clear that Polly likes Pete a lot and Piper could tell that she really wasn't that stressed at all about it.

"Shut _up_. I'll need to be up to date on all the goings on if I'm gonna come back, so get talking."

In truth, there's very little to say. Flaca had gone surprisingly quiet about her current bust-up with her friend Maritza and Daya too had seemed a little cagey when anyone asked about the guy she'd gone on a few dates with, so the only remaining development was the news about the AA group needing to use the hall too.

"Wow. Because having them there won't be distracting at _all_." Polly remarks afterwards and Piper laughs, nodding her agreement. "Did you get any impression of what the thing with Lorna was all about?" she asks, in reference to Piper's recounting of the flustered way in which Morello had reacted to one of the AA members's taunting.

"Nope, no idea. They clearly knew each other though. Maybe I'll find out as time goes on. Or you will, if you're so keen on coming back," Piper replies teasingly, well aware that Polly has no intention of giving up on date night any time soon. And clearly, the news about the class sharing a hall with a mutual aid group has given Polly the out she needs.

"Well I'm not coming back if there's gonna be an audience. Especially not when at least three of them sound totally pervy and weird," she pauses, clearly expecting something from Piper. When Piper doesn't speak she goes on, incredulous, "come on, you're not gonna keep going are you? Them being there defeats the point of the class."

"I don't know. Maybe." Piper is being deliberately vague and she knows Polly can see through the façade. She fully intends on going back, although she is keen not to let on that it's at least partly because her mind has barely drifted from the woman that had drawn her gaze back in the sports hall last night.

"What's that look?" Polly narrows her eyes suspiciously, staring intently at Piper's expression.

"What look?"

"I don't know, you just have a look."

Piper casts around for an appropriate response, one that doesn't involve letting Polly know that's she's semi-preoccupied by a woman – apparently a woman in some form of recovery – that she's only shared a couple of glances with. Even Piper isn't quite sure what's pulling her towards this strange woman, only that she'd been confused by her somehow, thrown out of orbit a little.

"Well, they certainly livened things up a bit, I just think they seem interesting, that's all."

"I really don't think a lively atmosphere is what you want out of yoga, Piper."

"You know what I meant."

Polly shrugs, draining the last of her coffee. "I don't know Pipe. From what you just said, they all kind of sound like assholes to me."

* * *

"I don't want to bring this party atmosphere down or anything, but doesn't the whole yoga class being here kind of fuck up the part where this is meant to be _anonymous_?"

As she stretches her arms out into Warrior pose, Piper can't help but think that this is actually a fair point. Or, it would be, if the AA didn't seem to have pretty lax rules on anonymity anyway. Before anyone has time to make a constructive suggestion, however, Piper hears Flaca sigh impatiently from behind her. An unfortunate coincidence had meant that Maritza, Flaca's estranged friend, had recently joined the recovery group.

"Why do you even care? Everyone in the neighbourhood already knows every damn part your business anyway."

As had become their customary routine, Sophia turns her head to share an amused, mock-scandalised look with Piper.

It's week three in the two groups's unfortunate experiment in sharing a space and by now it's widely accepted that moments of drama will inevitably break out with relative ease.

Lorna and the woman from the first week had so far avoided any interaction but, in the second week, Janae had let out a laugh at a detail in an AA member's story, and Cindy had immediately come over to angrily ask what was so funny. Jones had calmed things down, but the mood between the two groups had been stormy for the rest of the session.

Jones's attempts at keeping Flaca and Maritza from arguing were less successful, however, and they were yet to have a session when the two didn't snipe at each other on at least one occasion. Not that anyone else really knew what the source of their disagreement actually was, and (though no one wanted to admit it) it was increasingly intriguing to listen to it all play out.

Suddenly, Jones's voice cuts through the tense silence, and the poor woman seems to sound more and more harassed with every week that goes by.

"Remember to try and clear your minds ladies, work on banishing all external influences."

"Yeah that's right, keep your nose out of shit that doesn't concern you." Maritza doesn't seem ready to let things drop and Piper, knowing that Flaca possesses quite the temper, suspects a full-on fight might break out when the AA's convener, who the other members all call Miss Rosa, interrupts, asking loudly,

"Does anyone actually want to _share_ today?"

The members of the yoga class had quickly learnt that 'sharing' could mean just about anything. The AA group seemed to welcome anyone in any form of recovery, not just those suffering with alcoholism, and the acronym had turned out to be more of generic moniker than anything else. Substance abuse did seem to be a common theme all-round, however.

A blissful moment of silence fills the hall as no one immediately offers to speak, and Piper wonders if this might be the week that she finally finds out a little more about the tall woman with the glasses.

Though Piper always has her back to the AA meetings, she's relatively certain that the woman still hasn't shared yet, and the strange pull Piper feels towards her has only grown more frustrating given that, save for a few lingering glances, the two have barely acknowledged each other since that first session. It's funny, but Piper actually feels disappointed by this. She'd thought that there was something between her and the woman, but she hasn't made a move on Piper, hasn't even tried to talk to her. And for her part, Piper is hardly about to make the first move either. The whole liking men _and_ women deal isn't exactly something new to her, she's been aware of it for a while, but she's never actually hit on a woman, wouldn't even know where to begin.

There's also something especially annoying to Piper in the fact that she still doesn't even know this woman's name. Since she hasn't stood up to speak, there's been little to no opportunity for Piper to glean _any _information at all about the woman, even something vague. Piper thinks perhaps knowing something about her might help her to deal with this strange crush she seems to be developing, as she suspects it's rooted at least slightly in the mystery of it all. But being able to at least name the person might give Piper a degree of control in all of this.

And, after all, the woman clearly has a complicated past. A past she clearly doesn't want to talk about yet, if at all. Maybe she accidentally killed someone. Maybe she's gone all _Breaking Bad_ or something. _Maybe_ she's done time in prison.

Piper would like to think that the idea of dating a convicted felon would be a complete turn off, but as she uses Jones's command to change pose to chance a quick glance at the back of the woman's head, Piper wonders about the strength of that particular conviction.

The rest of the session is close to passing without a hitch, and most of the yoga class have already collected their belongings and are on their way out of the room when another argument eventually breaks out.

Piper had hung back to talk with Lorna and behind them the AA meeting starts drawing to a close, when the woman with the wild, unkempt hair from a few weeks ago says loudly and pointedly,

"…though I guess drugs aren't the _only_ source of delusion out there," from her spot at the lectern, and Lorna suddenly clams up halfway through telling Piper about her plans for the weekend. For a moment, Morello looks as though she might let the comment slide, but eventually she flashes an icy glare over her shoulder.

"Stop talking about things you don't understand." Her response is quiet and slow and Piper is surprised that Lorna manages to sound quite so dangerous.

Sensing trouble, Miss Rosa quickly closes the AA session, and chatter fills the hall again.

However, somewhat unfortunately, Piper only just has time to ask Lorna if she's okay before the woman from AA rounds on them both.

"You think I don't understand what's going on?" she ignores Piper completely, stepping between her and Lorna.

"I _know_ that you don't." Lorna steps away and makes to gather up her things and leave.

"Well I know that you'd rather play make-believe than face up to what's really in front of you!"

"Oh that's rich Nichols, that's _real_ rich." Lorna's eyes look unnaturally bright as she bends to roll up her yoga mat, and Piper feels concern bubble up in her stomach for the other woman. In fact, she's half tempted to wait and make sure Morello is alright, when a quiet voice from behind her startles her.

"I wouldn't worry about it."

Piper turns quickly, and feels her heart jump to her throat. Staring back at her is the woman Piper has been snatching glances at for three weeks. Behind her glasses, she's flicking her gaze between Piper and the unfolding argument a few feet away and there's a ghost of a smile on her face. Piper catches herself thinking that the woman is even more striking up close, and it takes her a moment before she realises that she should probably say something.

The woman's smile deepens into something closer to a smirk as she watches Piper cast around for something to say, but she makes no move to help the conversation along.

"Oh. So…do you know what's going on with them then?" As soon as the words are out of her mouth Piper winces internally at her tone. She sounds like she's prying, and while she is quite fascinated by this strange situation, she doesn't want to come across as being interested only in the gossip side of it all.

"Shit. Sorry. I just mean…are they both…okay?" Piper manages to stammer out an amendment, just as they both hear:

"Hey Morello, you know what? _Fuck_ you. Fuck you and your stupid fake boyfriend."

Piper winces again, this time for real.

"Never mind. They just answered my question for me."

This earns a genuine laugh from the woman in front of her, low and smooth and indulgent. The sound seems to echo through Piper, and she has the strange, absurd desire to hear the woman laugh again and again.

"Nicky and Lorna just aren't seeing eye-to-eye at the moment," she supplies vaguely. "It's nothing to worry about. In fact, this is their standard, run-of-the-mill break up fight. They've been on and off for ages. They'll be on again before the end of the month, just you wait."

Piper can't quite hide her scepticism at this. "Really? Because they seem pretty angry with each other."

The woman gives a slight shake of her head, clearly still somewhat amused. "Oh I've known Nicky for years and she and Lorna have been doing this dance for a while. Honestly, just trust me. Or bet me. Whichever floats your boat." She follows this with a confident, closed-mouth smile.

"What, are you gonna start a sweepstake or something?" Piper asks in her best teasing tone. The woman laughs again, and it seems to hit Piper somewhere in the pit of her stomach.

"Well, I was thinking more just you and me, since you clearly have so little faith in my divination skills," she retorts, affecting a tone of mock hurt.

"So you're just going to try and take money off an innocent bystander now, huh?" Piper puts as much emphasis on the 'innocent' as she dares.

"Hm, probably shouldn't, not when you put it like that. It seems a little clinical. Impersonal almost, don't you think? How about we bet drinks instead?" she leans in conspiratorially, drops her voice lower. "If I win, you buy me a drink but if they're still fighting by the end of the month, I'll get the first round in."

Slowly and deliberately, Piper draws back, placing her hands on her hips with as much authority as she can muster.

"Oh? And what makes you think there might be a _second_ round?" For just a moment, Piper thinks she finally has the upper hand in this conversation, finally feels like she isn't a step behind this woman when, without missing a beat, the reply comes, bold and suggestive.

"I saw you looking at me the other week."

Piper splutters, suddenly way, way out of her depth. Flustered, she grasps about for an appropriate response. "Well. You only saw that because…well. You were looking back at _me_."

"_Oh_. You _got_ me. Nice one." There's a pause, and though the argument still is raging on somewhere behind Piper, it suddenly feels distant, like it's in a whole other room. Or a whole other universe. This time, the other woman fills the lull between them. "So. Is that a yes? Is it a bet?" She's got her arms crossed, everything in her body language making it seem as though she's completely disinterested in the impending response, but Piper senses something more intense in her question, something that feels almost urgent.

And so, Piper deliberately pauses, pretending to consider it. She pauses as though saying 'no' is actually an option, as though every covert glance over her shoulder over the past three weeks has been accidental. As though occasionally catching this woman staring back hasn't sent a thrill of excitement through her.

Eventually, Piper speaks. "Okay fine. It's a bet." The other woman smirks, and Piper makes one last-ditch attempt to claw back some semblance of control in all of this. "But _only_ because I've never seen two people less likely to get back together in my life, and I like to win things." This earns causes the woman to quirk an eyebrow in question and Piper grins across at her, half-sheepish. "I'm competitive, what can I say?"

"Oh I see. Can't resist a chance to gloat, huh?" Somehow, she say that like it's pure suggestion, lips moving around the words as though she's somehow managed to turn the art of speech into some kind of caress.

"Who _are_ you?" Piper tries to make the question into a challenge, but deep down she knows she never had any chance of succeeding.

"My name is Alex."

As it turns out, Piper has been completely wrong this whole time.

Once she is able to put a name to the face she's been thinking about for close to a month, she finds herself absolutely, completely_,_ one hundred percent _screwed_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks once again to everyone who's left a comment, or to anyone who's following the story! Slight apologies for the abrupt end to this one, I just liked the way it ended, and I'll probably be picking up the next chapter where this one left off, if you catch my meaning. **

**As ever, I'd love to know what you think of this chapter, so please leave a review if you have five minutes and thanks so much for reading!**

* * *

After that interaction with Alex, yoga night quickly becomes Piper's favourite night of the week. However, as her enjoyment in the classes increases, she finds herself telling Polly less about her own experiences in her recap of Wednesday evenings, and instead sharing more generic information. She's quick to tell Polly that Nicky and Lorna are on a break, or in the midst of a break-up, or something, but she mentions nothing of her own conversation with Alex, doesn't mention Alex at all.

Eventually, it becomes incredibly easy to fill her portion of the Thursday morning discussion with information about anything but herself, as the two groups gradually start interacting more frequently. The members of the yoga group finally infer via context that Flaca and Maritza had fallen out over a man, a tale as old as time itself. Flaca had thought he wasn't good enough for her best friend, Maritza had disagreed. The guy had still left Maritza to give birth to and care for their child by herself, and the friendship hadn't yet been repaired.

As time goes by, a few unlikely inter-group friendships even spring up, the most notable one between Poussey, who attends Piper's yoga class, and someone called Taystee, a girl from AA who'd shared a particularly entertaining story one week that had had everyone (even Jones, though she tried to hide it) laughing along with her.

It is these kinds of interactions that Piper fills Polly in on, and she speaks minimally about (to use Polly's words) 'the pervy ones who'd been ogling the yoga class', if she mentions them at all. Piper's not really sure what keeps her from mentioning the whole Alex thing to Polly, can't quite kid herself that it's all to do with Polly still not knowing that Piper's deal includes, but is thankfully not limited to, hot ex-addict lesbians, because yes, she does eventually find out that Alex is an ex-drug user, though that's still about all Piper knows.

It's also not only because she knows that Polly wouldn't approve of Alex even slightly, and probably wouldn't like her at all (though that _is_ true). There's just something in keeping Alex as her own secret that appeals to Piper.

Plus, if she's honest with herself – something she seldom is – Piper still feels slightly out of her depth, and having Polly know that she's skirting the edge of _something_ involving Alex Vause seems somehow very dangerous to Piper. Like Polly might step in – as best friend duty dictates – and make Piper realise just how _real_ this is all becoming. Or worse, that Polly might turn up at yoga one Wednesday night to assess Alex for herself.

In fact, every night for a solid week, Piper actually has a recurring dream that goes a little like that.

In the end, it just comes naturally to Piper to keep Alex a secret. It feels somewhat safe, but still exciting enough that every Wednesday evening seems to go way too quickly, and the next one always takes too long to come around again.

That's not to say, however, that Alex and Piper's flirting is a secret from the rest of the people in hall, as bit by bit they stop bothering to hide their growing mutual attraction.

And, as their looks start to linger for longer, as the message behind their coy grins shifts from vague suggestion to direct promise (_soon, _Alex's eyes seem to say, _soon. Just you wait and see_), it seems that Alex participates in her AA meetings even less than she used to. Gradually, Piper starts to wonder if Alex spends more time with her back to whoever is speaking than she does actually facing forwards and pretending to listen.

Alex has really upped her game on the flirting front too, and she seems to enjoy doing her very best to rattle Piper as much as possible. Her compliments and remarks get more risqué as she goes on, and she starts neglecting to drop her voice half as much as she might have done in the beginning.

It's not that it bothers Piper of course – in fact the opposite is true – although it does rather throw her off balance (almost literally) when Alex catches her eye the next time Piper is in Downward-Facing Dog position. Alex watches for a second, looking, from Piper's perspective as she glances rather inelegantly from between her legs, to be the wrong way up. For a moment it seems as though Alex simply intends to stare back until, suddenly, she winks. Just once, slowly and maddeningly, before she very deliberately turns around to feign interest in whatever story it is that Suzanne is sharing that particular session.

One week, Alex rather loudly compliments Piper's underwear when her oversized work-out shirt slips off one shoulder as she attempts to hold herself in Half Moon pose, unintentionally revealing one lacy bra strap. During another session, Alex turns almost completely in her chair to watch Piper, one hip against the backrest, her legs jutting out from what should be one side of the chair. She doesn't do, or even say, anything, just watches Piper's progression through the class. Of course, Piper only sees Alex when she's in certain positions, or when she stops to get a drink of water, but she determinedly holds Alex's gaze every time, although it's often tempting to back down under the intense way that Alex looks at her.

Either Miss Rosa does not notice what the two of them are doing, or she does not care, but either way, she never tells Alex to stop.

And, during a session a few weeks after their first conversation, Piper nearly walks straight into Alex as she ducks out of yoga to head to the bathroom. Alex is late to the AA meeting, something Piper had already noted, but she offers no reason for her tardiness when they greet each other quietly.

After a moment in which they watch each other in tense, heavy silence, Piper goes to move around Alex.

"I better…bathroom," Piper mutters unhelpfully, unsure as to what exactly it is about Alex Vause that turns her into such an idiot, unable to even form complete sentences. For a second, she thinks Alex is going to pass her without saying anything more, but then Piper feels Alex's hand around her wrist, gripping just tightly enough to make Piper pause.

Alex presses her cheek flush against Piper's, and she can feel Alex's lips move as she murmurs,

"Your ass looks really good in those yoga pants, by the way," into Piper's ear, her breath hot against Piper's skin.

Piper just barely contains herself, walking on wordlessly, but she quite literally has to splash cold water on her face in the bathroom. However, her visit to the ladies' room also gives her time to regain her composure and to decide whether or not attempting some form of response would be a good idea.

A few moments later, on her way back to her mat, Piper bends down next Alex's seat, pretending to retie her shoelace. On her way back up to standing, she leans into the other woman and, dropping her voice to a whisper, replies,

"Yeah, I know."

Because of the way the developments between the two of them have been playing out, Piper can't quite bring herself to feel too disappointed when, one particularly cold and wintry evening, both Yoga Jones and Miss Rosa enter the hall together, looking rather harassed as they announce that Joe Caputo – the building manager – had just informed them that the AA's regular room still wasn't back to normal.

"It looks like we're stuck like this for the foreseeable future, ladies," Jones tells them as she sets up the CD player. She eyes both Lorna (who now spends her time in class looking determinedly anywhere but at Nicky), and then Flaca pointedly.

"So we'll just have to make the best of it."

* * *

The rest of the session passes rather unremarkably for Piper, who spends more time listening to one of Taystee's stories than she does really clearing her mind, and it seems Alex is as interested in the tale as she is, because Piper struggles to catch the other woman's eye much during the hour.

In fact, by the time the two groups start packing up, Piper is beginning to wonder if something's wrong. However, out of the corner of her eye, she notices Alex hesitate for moment after stacking her chair away. After a pause, Alex eventually approaches and says without preamble,

"So, it looks like I'm going to have to pay out, huh?"

Confused, Piper forgets her decision to play whatever coy game had been going on all evening, turning quickly to Alex and frowning. "I'm sorry?"

"Today's the first of the month and Heathcliff and Cathy over there are no closer to making up." Alex nods over at Lorna, stood a few feet away and throwing angry glances at Nicky, who had taken a relatively non-confrontational route that night (for her, anyway) and had been flashing Morello suggestive looks for the whole hour.

"So. I owe you a drink. Tomorrow night sound okay to you?" Alex holds out her phone, and Piper can see the 'new contact' page on the screen.

Piper smiles as she enters her details in Alex's phone. "Tomorrow night sounds perfect."

* * *

Piper spends the next day at work checking her phone, and is completely distracted when Polly tries to tell her that she's found a possible space for them.

"God, Pipe. What's wrong with you? You've been saying for ages we need a space to sell from if we're gonna get department stores to buy from us. I thought you'd be excited!"

Piper quickly drops her phone back onto the desk.

"I know, I know," she turns to face Polly and holds up her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm sorry Pol. I _am_ excited." She rolls her eyes at Polly's sceptical expression. "_Honestly._ I'm just a bit out of it today, I'm a little tired I guess".

"Didn't know yoga was so exhausting," Polly teases, turning her attention back to her computer screen.

"We should go check it out. The space, that is. Want to set up a meeting?"

"Sure." Polly sounds happy enough at this, and if she's suspicious about Piper's behaviour, she doesn't say anything. She talks animatedly about the place she'd seen for most of the day, and about the possibility of them getting their bank loan, but Piper only hears half of what she says.

At just after 4:30, Polly stretches and wonders aloud if it would be totally terrible of them to duck out of work early, and when Piper only hums her approval, this seems to be the final straw.

"Okay, spill."

"Spill what?"

"Whatever's going on with you Piper! You've been totally distracted all day and I see you hiding your phone in your lap so you can check it."

Of course, Piper can hardly launch into an explanation on how she's beginning to wonder if she has made up all the flirting between her and Alex, or somehow hallucinated Alex entirely, so she does her best to play the whole thing down.

"It's nothing! I told you, I'm just tired."

"_Right_." Polly rises and stretches. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me. But if I find out you're secretly seeing some guy that you've not told me about I will _not_ be responsible for my actions, okay?"

Piper smiles at this; it's more ironic that Polly could ever realise.

"No guys involved, I promise."

"Good. Now. I have to go to this family dinner thing my mom won't let me get out of tonight, so I gotta get ready. Feel free to hang around. Or not, totally your choice."

"And there I was thinking you were just keen for an evening off."

Polly rolls her eyes in an _I wish_ sort of way, but doesn't seem put out when Piper tells her she's going to head off.

She's only just closed the door behind her when her phone finally, _finally_ buzzes in her coat pocket. Sure enough, it's a text from Alex with a time, a place and a kiss at the end, which seems strangely _un-Alex_ to Piper, who fires off a short reply to confirm she'll be there.

She's somehow less excited for this evening now, wondering if Alex is having second thoughts and is just going through the motions. It doesn't stop her from making sure her makeup looks perfect, or from changing her outfit twice before she leaves, but she does have an unpleasant weight in her stomach as she wonders just what Alex wants out of all this.

And it doesn't really help at all that Piper literally has no idea where _she_ wants this thing with Alex to go, either.

* * *

The churning worry in Piper's stomach is quelled slightly to find that Alex is already at the bar when she gets there, a nearly-full beer in front of her.

Whether Alex has just arrived, or has been there long enough to be on her second drink, Piper can't be sure and she doesn't really care – she's just happy Alex is there at all.

And Alex seems just as pleased to see her, face alight with a smile that seems a little too bright for someone who'd rather be somewhere else, or was having second thoughts about the person in front of her.

Piper decides that maybe she'd be better off not over-thinking things tonight.

Alex is as good as her word when it comes to buying Piper a drink, but still questions Piper's choice when she orders.

"It's a little cold out for a margarita, don't you think?" she asks as they watch the bartender mix up the drink, but Piper just rolls her eyes, nudging Alex playfully with her shoulder.

"So, should I feel bad that I'm profiting out of someone else's relationship drama?"

"Probably," Alex replies with a smirk, paying for the drink and motioning at Piper to follow her towards a table in a corner of the bar. "It _is_ kind of immoral when you think about it."

"Aren't you kinda missing the part where you suggested it?"

"I mean, sure but…Nicky's _my_ friend, we know each other. You're just taking advantage of two strangers's sadness." Beneath her glasses, Alex's eyes are sparkling teasingly as she takes a pull from her beer.

Piper's voice catches unintentionally in her throat when, a moment later, she leans forward and replies with no real conviction, "I guess I do feel bad."

Alex smiles as she prompts her to go on. "There's totally a 'but' in there somewhere."

"But I guess it's all sorta worked out for me, right?"

* * *

They're both three drinks into the evening when Piper finally mentions what is still the source of a tiny, niggling bit of doubt at the back of her mind.

"I must say, I kind of thought you were having second thoughts about paying out," Piper jokes, tilting her glass slightly to indicate her point.

Alex raises her eyebrows at this, and when she speaks, she seems genuinely surprised. "Really? Why?"

Piper opens her mouth to reply and then closes it again, suddenly cursing herself for being tipsy enough to let her brain-to-mouth filter break down like that. It instantly seems petty and needy to complain about a late text when Alex is sitting there in front of her. In fact, Alex's expression is suddenly strikingly clear and honest as she reaches out and runs the tips of her fingers lightly against the back of Piper's hand where it rests on the table between them.

Alex leaves her hand over Piper's, gripping slightly at Piper's fingers, and flashes a tilted half-smile at Piper.

"Thought I was being clear enough during AA." The words come out quietly, barely loud enough for Piper to hear over the music in the bar.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to kill the mood. Just…pretend I didn't say that."

"The mood's just fine, honestly. But I'm serious, tell what's wrong." Alex's tone is gentle and she almost sounds slightly concerned.

"It's silly, I'm just being...This is all a bit new to me, if you hadn't already guessed," Piper speaks to their hands, finding it easier than meeting Alex's eyes.

"What, _dating_?" Alex jokes, and, in spite of herself, Piper glances up at this.

Alex is wearing strange expression on her face as something like amusement is replaced by surprise, almost as though she can't quite believe she's just called tonight 'dating'.

Taking a deep breath, Piper decides to be honest, steeling herself for her admission. "Well…no. Not dating a woman, at least."

The look of shock on Alex's face deepens slightly. "For real?"

Piper nods, worried, but then she hears Alex chuckle to herself.

"What?" she asks, confused by the quick change in mood.

Still grinning, Alex asks, "what kind of a lesbian are you?"

"The bisexual kind. I think, anyway," Piper shrugs and though she hadn't intended for it to make matters clearer, Alex nods as if it does.

"And tonight?"

"Like I said, it's silly. You just didn't text until late so I thought…"

Alex laughs again at this, a full, relieved kind of laugh and Piper suddenly feels completely at ease again.

"Work likes to keep me busy sometimes and I didn't know what time to tell you because I didn't know how long I'd have to stay this afternoon, that's all."

This seems like a perfectly logical explanation, and Piper quickly feels silly for worrying at all, but Alex seems completely unperturbed by the whole exchange.

She leans slightly closer to Piper, whispering, "but I'm sorry if I made it seem like I had any doubts."

After a silent pause that seems thick and hot, Alex flashes Piper a look, one that seems a little like a challenge, and it takes Piper's slightly hazy brain a few seconds to decipher it.

_Perhaps this will help you change your mind._

And just like that, Alex kisses her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to everyone who's responded to this so far, your responses have really made me smile! I've included a little more focus on Lorna and Nicky than initially intended this chapter, as per a request, so I hope it's okay!**

**As ever, thank you for reading and your comments are always gratefully received.**

* * *

For one heart-stopping moment, Piper feels as though she is caught in the middle of a hurricane.

Alex's lips are firm and insistent against her own, and it takes Piper a moment to realise what she is supposed to be doing. And what she is supposed to be doing is not sitting there dumbly and probably giving off all the wrong impressions.

It doesn't feel the way any of her other first kisses have felt. It's not sweet or soft or gentle or any of the other clichés people use. The first touch is a thunderbolt, and as Piper kisses back, it swells to a storm, and she finds herself gripping awkwardly at the lapels of Alex's leather jacket, lest either of them blow away in the wind.

Alex's hands trace lightly around her neck, drifting to the back of Piper's head, fingers tangling between blonde hair.

The table between them is small – too small to be a useful surface, really – but it works as a slight barrier anyway, adding an element of jeopardy with its clutter of empty bottles and glasses and, all too soon, Alex pulls away.

The instinctive noise Piper makes at the loss of contact catches in her throat at the sight that meets her.

Alex is wearing a look that seems stuck in a strange space between smugness and surprise. Her cheeks are tinged faintly pink and her glasses are slightly askew. After a moment she adjusts them lazily, letting a self-satisfied smile bloom fully on her face.

Staring contentedly across the table at her, Piper is struck by the thought that this is her new favourite image of Alex Vause. She takes time to soak in the moment, to try and commit every single detail to memory, and it feels as though the world around them has slowed down, almost as if to accommodate the strange rush of feelings tracking through the back of Piper's mind.

The two of them watch each other like that, silent and smiling, until Alex's look gradually becomes more expectant and Piper realises that she is probably thinking back to her earlier admission that she's never done _this_ – any of this – with another woman.

She isn't really sure what to say, however, so she just keeps on smiling, eventually leaning forward to kiss Alex again, quicker and more chaste than before, as though that makes the point for her.

It seems to do the trick, as the satisfied smile returns to Alex's face, and eventually she drifts over to the bar to buy them both another drink.

* * *

"I don't really want to cut the evening short, but I have an early start at work tomorrow, and they probably won't be too pleased with me if I turn up tired and completely useless. Are you okay about leaving this early?"

Piper isn't exactly keen to part, but she understands and she says as much, making Alex smile. They're not heading in remotely similar directions, so they call for separate cabs and while away the rest of their time with small-talk and sly, significant looks.

The rain has stopped by the time they step outside, but it's still cold and slightly blustery nonetheless, and Piper finds herself stepping instinctively closer to Alex as they wait for the taxis to arrive. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Alex twines her fingers between Piper's, her palm surprisingly warm in the chilly night air.

They stay like that, all cold cheeks and warm hands, until, just before Piper's taxi arrives, Alex drags her away from the edge of the sidewalk, out of the glare of the passing cars's headlights and into the very edge of the small side street beside the bar. It is lit halfway down by the windows of a few small restaurants, and Piper finds herself trapped between a cold brick wall and the pleasant weight of Alex's body, as she brings her lips against Piper's once more.

It's heady and somewhat clumsy as they make out in such an unexpected place (for Piper at least), One of Alex's arms winds gently around her neck, hand cradling the back of Piper's head, creating a blessed gap between her and the damp stone wall.

They break apart only when a car finally pulls up. It's Alex's cab, and she leaves Piper with a small, soft kiss before she climbs into the back of the car.

Piper's ride isn't long behind, and even though the driver probably thinks she's an idiot, she doesn't stop smiling the whole way home.

* * *

The night at the bar does nothing for Piper's concentration at work the next day, and, if anything, she's more distracted than the day before.

Luckily (for her), Polly's dinner was an unmitigated disaster and she is too busy telling Piper about all of the drama between her mother and her aunts to really notice that Piper seems to be walking around in something close to a daze.

"Oh, I scheduled a tour of that space I told you about by the way. It's at two this afternoon, if that works?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I know it's soon but I really like it, and I think you will too, and the sooner we see it, the better chance we have at securing a lease, right?"

"Sure…"

There's a pause during which Piper wonders (but can't find the enthusiasm to care) if Polly is going to pick up on her demeanour, but then she suddenly remembers something else rude her aunt had said last night, and immediately launches into recounting the argument that had followed.

* * *

Once again, their morning is given over to administration rather than the much more fun task of actually making up any products, and Piper spends all her time trying to chase up news about their loan application with the bank. They're going to need the money soon if they want to sign a rent contract for the space Polly seems to have her mind set upon.

At around midday, as Piper sits on hold for what feels like the eightieth time in a couple of hours, her cell phone chirps out a sound that heralds a new text, and although her first thought is that it might be from Alex, Piper finds herself with a slightly cryptic (and slightly worrying) text from an unsaved number:

_Nichols told me that you and Vause went out drinking last night. I want the details. Spill. _

Frowning, Piper tracks through all the possible people this could be (and how they could have got her number) when her phone rings again, saving her the trouble.

_It's Lorna, by the way_.

A few seconds pass, followed by another message.

_Lorna from yoga. I don't want to stay in suspense until next week_.

Thinking hard, Piper vaguely remembers offering Lorna her number when she'd seemed interested in the kinds of products she and Polly were making for PoPi. They always needed a wide range of opinions on their different creations, and Piper decides she'd probably told Lorna to get in touch if she ever wanted a few free samples.

Smiling to herself, she fires off a quick reply.

_Thank god, thought someone had been following me. _

_So, should I assume you two are talking again? _

Expecting an imminent reply, Piper quickly turns her phone to silent and Morello doesn't disappoint. Within moments she responds: _I want info on _your_ relationship drama Chapman, not mine_ followed by enough emojis to leave Piper in no doubt that she's joking.

_I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Seem like a fair deal?_

Piper hesitates for a moment before sending her response, wondering if it's too early to be discussing _her and Alex_ with anyone else. After all, she's still no clearer on where this is all really heading, and telling anyone about what happened between them could jinx things.

But, in truth, she's been bursting out of her skin keeping this all to herself, and not being able to talk to anyone has been making her overthink things even more than usual. Besides, if Nicky knew that she and Alex were meeting up in the first place, it's likely she'd already know about the outcome of their night, meaning that she'd tell Lorna eventually.

Hardly daring to look, Piper quickly sends the text before she can change her mind.

It doesn't even take a minute, but days seem to pass as she waits for her screen to light up again. She wonders briefly if perhaps the hold music is starting to affect her.

_Very fair. And tbh I could use someone to talk to as well. Do soap moguls get lunch breaks?_

It hits Piper in that instant just how much she likes Lorna, even if she doesn't know her all that well. Chuckling, she sends Morello the address of a place near Polly's apartment, following it with the message: _I'm not sure, you'd have to ask one :P. Whereabouts are you in the city, is this place too far?_

_Nope, not too far. See you in half an hour?_

Piper confirms she'll be there, just as someone at the bank takes her off hold. It's almost startling to be met with a human voice down the phone as she rattles off a reference number that might just as well be her own mother's birthday, for all the times she's had to bring it to mind.

* * *

In the end, she's late meeting Morello, and finds her inside at a window seat, the pane of glass to her left cloudy on the inside, rain-spotted on the other.

"God I'm so sorry, I was on hold for_ ever_. I come baring gifts though so you can't be too mad," she jokes handing over a few mini testers she'd grabbed from Polly's apartment before leaving. "Tell me what you think when you get round to using them."

Lorna seems pleased with the soaps and gels, and is as sweet as ever, dismissing Piper's repeated apologies for being so late.

However, for all her trademark amiability, Lorna is easily far less tactful than normal, barely waiting until they've ordered their food before demanding Piper cough up information about last night.

It's difficult, trying to put it all into words and Piper finds herself halting before she's even properly begun with the story.

"It's hard, you know," she eventually explains. "Trying to pinpoint exactly what's going on right now. I feel like _I _don't even properly know. Or maybe that's just me making things difficult, I don't know."

From across the table, Lorna shakes her head, smiling kindly. "No, not really. I've been there." She leans forward slightly and drops her voice so that no-one sitting nearby can hear. "It's not like I'd ever really done…you know. The whole dating girls thing before Nichols, and I'm guessing you're kind of the same."

Piper heaves out a sigh of relief, glad that Lorna understands. "Yes. _Yes_, exactly. That's exactly it."

"And to hear either of them tell it, it's totally the same deal – getting into a relationship with a woman." Lorna's smile is now far more wry and knowing than before. "And on a base level, yeah it totally is. If you love someone, then you love 'em and that's all there is to it. But if you've never been there before, you're always gonna be doubting things. Yourself, mostly if my experience is anything to go by. Like, _am I saying the right thing? Doing the right thing? Am I reading the signals right?_ I understand where you're at right now."

Still bubbling with relief, Piper is quick to reply. "Right? And that's the case too just with seeing a new person. I think the whole thing at the moment is this real mix of excitement and uncertainty, I'm just not sure which is winning out in my mind at the moment."

They let the silence hang between them for a moment, growing ever more comfortable and warm, before Piper notices a mischievous glint in Lorna's eye.

"But you guys totally kissed last night, right?"

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to Chapman, it's written all over your face."

Holding up her hands and grinning, Piper gives in and finally starts speaking.

* * *

Their food arrives by the time Piper finishes talking about her night with Alex. Lorna spends her time nodding and offering the odd non-committal comment here or there. But Piper is most keen to hear how Lorna's situation compares or, likely, doesn't compare at all.

"Come on," she says lightly, unfolding the napkin around her cutlery. "I kept up my end of the deal, now it's your turn. I want to know how all this infamous Nicky and Lorna drama really started."

"Oh _God_. Well, let's just say that things between me and Nichols have always been kind of complicated." Morello pauses, blowing on a spoonful of soup before continuing. "So, you said the whole liking girls thing wasn't new to you but dating them was, right?"

Piper nods, picking through her side salad.

"Well for me, both things were totally new. I don't even know if I _do_ like girls. I just liked Nichols and – " she pauses abruptly, face twisted in indecision. "Okay, I still do. Like Nichols, that is. But seriously Chapman, that can't go no further because I'm trying be…aloof at the moment and it's difficult enough as it is."

Lorna is so serious, and clearly working so hard to be cold and distant with Nicky, that it's tough for Piper not to smile fondly as she solemnly promises that the whole conversation was going to stay between them.

"Okay, so here's what happened…"

Lorna launches into an explanation of their first meeting, at a bar where some guy called Christopher (Lorna doesn't explain who he is, just immediately mentions his name) liked to play with his band.

"Nichols came up to me, said hi and offered to buy me a drink. I didn't think nothing of it at first, and I was kinda broke and appreciated the gesture, so I let her. And we talked all night and we got on really well and nothing happened except we switched numbers. But the next time we hung out Nichols told me she liked me but that she knew I hadn't realised she'd been coming onto me at the bar. She asked if I liked girls and I told her I'd never thought about it, but I didn't think so. In the end, I asked if she would ever be okay with just friends and she said yes, even though I insisted it'd be okay if she didn't want to do that. Anyway, I assumed everything was okay, which was stupid of me, I guess."

Listening hard, Piper makes a sympathetic sound in her throat at the look on Lorna's face.

"And I liked that guy Christopher, and she was real supportive when he kinda turned out to be an asshole even though I think deep down I knew she was upset that I was so hung up on him. But to be honest it was always kinda awkward for me, knowing that she was hung up on _me_." She stops to stir her soup and eat a little, asking Piper if she's following.

"I am…I think," she jokes, coaxing a quiet laugh from Morello.

"Yeah, it's all pretty fucked up. Anyway, one night, me and Nichols went out drinking – Vause was there too – and you can guess where it all ended up. Except, the next morning, it felt totally normal and natural to me and when I told Nichols that, she seemed happy and for a while things just went from there. But I guess she knew somehow that I was still hung up on Christopher too, and after a while it started to bother her and…here we are."

"Are you? Still hung up on him?"

Lorna shrugs, fiddling with the handle of her coffee cup. "Not really. Not to the point I don't wanna be with Nichols I don't think. It's just because we never dated, but for a while I liked him so much – I guess I don't really know how to process it quickly enough. And I think Nichols felt that maybe I wasn't as into being with her as I was, which is fair enough. It must be tough. To be with someone who, for the first however many weeks you knew them, said they weren't into girls at all. So yeah, I dunno if any of that is ever gonna be fixable," she concludes with a slight laugh, tone half-genuinely amused, half-defeated.

Piper thinks for a long while before speaking.

"Maybe the two of you could try and hang out just as friends? Make an agreement to meet each other in the middle for a while and see what happens. It just kind of sounds as though this whole relationship drama has always been hanging over your heads, either on Nicky's side, your side or both. You guys have never had a chance to just be around each other without one of you stressing about something."

Lorna appears to consider this deeply. "I never really thought of it like that. I might put that to her, thanks Chapman." She holds Piper's gaze, a brief, grateful smile punctuating her thoughtful expression for just a moment.

Smiling back, Piper tries to be encouraging. "Maybe that'll help," she says softly.

At that, Lorna pauses with her spoon halfway to her soup, the pensive look on her face slipping into something much more melancholy. She huffs out a humourless laugh between pursed lips, propping her head in her hand and looking over at Piper sadly.

"Look at us Chapman. Both of us over our heads in stuff we barely understand."

Something in Lorna's tone dislodges a heavy weight in Piper's chest that she'd barely registered since yesterday afternoon. Suddenly she starts to feel just as she had while she'd been waiting for Alex to text, and begins to wonder if maybe Alex not being interested had been the real source of her worry after all.

"What do you mean?" Piper doesn't think she really wants to know the answer to this question. Of course, she's well aware of the general implication Lorna is making, but senses there's a more specific meaning running beneath her words.

Morello draws a deep breath in the way of a person who's about to say something significant.

"Chapman, just think about how you met her. The context of it all. She was at an _AA meeting_." Lorna eyes widen as she realises how she might sound. "Which, shit, don't get me wrong I'm not being judgemental I mean, I'm in no position to judge and I wouldn't anyway. We all got our problems and besides, recovery is infinitely better than the alternative. But I'm just saying. She's got a past – not that I really know much about it. And sure, okay, we all have one of those but...I just mean, caution isn't always a bad thing, y'know?" She flashes Piper a look that's so sad it makes her stomach twist.

"All I'm saying, is that you two seem good for each other, and I don't think you wanna end up getting burnt like me and Nichols are right now."

"So wait, hang on," Piper asks suddenly, trying to backtrack. "Both Nicky and Alex go to AA – that's how they know each other, right?" The question seems to startle Lorna, who has to work to hide a dark expression that flashes, unbidden, across her face.

"Oh I dunno about that," she replies, far too quickly and in a way that implies _please don't make me talk about this_. "You'd really have to ask Vause about that."

* * *

After that, neither have much time before they have to return to work and they change the subject, both apparently privately determined to end their time together on something much brighter and happier.

Eventually they split the bill and head in opposite directions at the door, parting with an agreement that they should meet up more often. And, as Piper walks the few blocks back to Polly's apartment building, where she's waiting outside to drive them to the shop viewing, she decides that it's getting too difficult to keep up with all the secrecy of her current situation.

So, taking it one step at a time, she chooses to tell Polly that she met Lorna for lunch, but still neglects to mention the main reason why they'd made the arrangement.

She promises herself, with much more resolve than ever before, that she's going to talk to Polly soon, just as soon as she knows what's really going on with Alex. Lorna has given her a lot to think about, and as she climbs into Polly's car, the first few glimmers of worry begin to flutter in her stomach. For the first time, she starts to wonder if she's being naïve and rushing into everything as, all the while, she wilfully neglects to consider the circumstances under which she first encountered Alex Vause.

Whatever the reality surrounding Alex, however, she appears to have a perfect sense of timing, or of irony, as she chooses that precise minute to text Piper.

_Keep thinking about how much I enjoyed last, want to meet again? How's tomorrow night for you? x_

The thing is, after years of familial precedent, Piper is really rather good at avoiding difficult questions.

_I enjoyed last night too, I'd love to see you again tomorrow :)_


End file.
